Kyue Japanese Restaurant — Restaurant in Sydney

A Hyped Spot That Falls Short

I recently visited Kyue and tried the deluxe pork katsu set, while my friend had the wagyu beef udon. While there were some highlights, overall, the experience felt underwhelming, especially considering the price point and the hype surrounding the place.

Starting with the pork katsu, I have to say it was one of the most tender cuts of pork I’ve had—juicy, with none of the tough, tendon-like texture that can sometimes be an issue with katsu. However, the biggest letdown was that it wasn’t served hot. It felt pre-made, and while the texture was great, it lacked the crisp, just-fried quality that makes a good katsu truly satisfying. If it had come fresh and hot, it would have been a standout. The rest of the set was pretty standard, nothing remarkable, and to be honest, I would have preferred to just order the katsu on its own.

As for the wagyu beef udon, my friend found it completely average. No wow factor, nothing particularly bad, but also nothing memorable. Given that wagyu is a premium ingredient, we expected more depth in flavor, but it simply didn’t deliver.

Service was another weak point. Despite the restaurant positioning itself at a higher price range, the professionalism wasn’t quite there. We were asked twice to order within the first minute of sitting down, which felt rushed. The paper menu looked worn out, which isn’t a huge deal but is something they could easily improve. Then, oddly, we were given a fresh set of chopsticks and serviettes just as we were finishing our drinks and about to leave, which seemed unnecessary and a bit disorganized.

Overall, this place seems to thrive on its hype rather than substance. While the pork itself was impressive, the lack of attention to freshness and temperature took away from what could have been a great dish. If you’re curious, it might be worth a visit, but I wouldn’t say it’s worth waiting in line for. We had a booking, so we didn’t have to wait, but I can’t imagine standing in a queue for an experience that was just okay.

Would I return? Maybe only if I knew the katsu would come fresh and hot. Otherwise, there are plenty of other Japanese spots that offer better execution and service at similar...

I was really looking forward to dining here after a friend dined the night before. I was warned about the chaotic service and willing to overlook however this was just disappointing as an overall experience.

Start with the positive - Overall food was great except for the wagyu gyu katsu - the overturned piece looked good but all the other pieces were varying degrees for med rare to medium. Was so disappointed none of the seafood dishes were available except sashimi as we were told the scallops were great.

the negative - service needs a lot of work. After we were seated, were given time to look at the menu, we were only told at the time of ordering they were out of all seafood except for sashimi. I couldn't even order the sashimi set. However later observed a neighbouring table was able to - and they had arrived and ordered after us. I ordered a glass of chardonnay, the waitress offered a bottle of chardonnay that was not what we asked for.. to then find they had 'just' run out of the one we ordered. The general vibe of the restaurant service is chaotic, haphazard which does not make a pleasant dining experience. On top of this the chef/owner at the pass kept yelling out "Happy birthday".. then "happy birthday to me" at some stage. Extremely unprofessional when the restaurant is loud enough as it is. It could be fun if he was interacting with the customers but he was not. Staff kept running between tables to take the squeeze bottles of katsu sauce and sesame dressing between the tables. Surely this should be supplied on every table given katsu is the speciality. Tables for 2 : the table is small. You couldn't even fit 2 meal trays on there with water glasses, the table number and sauces on the table. Appreciate you are trying to fit as many covers in as possible but not to the detrimant of the customer's comfort.

I would return for the food however service really needs to be reviewed and improved along with the...

Absolutely shocked by how much this place has changed in just two weeks.

I first visited on January 26, and it was hands down the best katsu I’ve had in Sydney. ✔️ Perfectly crispy, evenly cut, and generously sized ✔️ Juicy, pink-centered pork with the ideal fat ratio ✔️ Every bite was flavorful, tender, and just melted in my mouth

It was so good that I didn’t mind the price at all—I even left a tip because it was that worth it.

Fast forward just two weeks later (February 9), and I genuinely couldn’t believe it was the same place. ❌ Overcooked, dry pork with no juiciness ❌ Fat ratio completely gone, making it tough and bland ❌ The kitchen felt chaotic, and the staff seemed overwhelmed ❌ More people in the kitchen, but the quality had dropped drastically

Also, take a look at the quality of the mini udon that came with the katsu. The inari (fried tofu) was missing, and it was even served in a different bowl, probably due to a shortage. The taste had changed as well—another huge disappointment.

I don’t know if they changed the person frying the katsu or altered their cooking methods, but the difference was night and day. This was a huge disappointment, and I honestly don’t know if I’ll be coming back. (I visited same time and attached 16th Jan and today )

Reservation services don’t hold seats, so if you’re 10 minutes late, expect to wait another 20 minutes!(entire my restaurant experience they hold my seat up to 15mis late and all the time ‘booking client first serve’, traffic was bad today so we late 6mins, and the fact that even you booking they not hold your seat so have to WAIT if they are full HAHA). The fact that they’re busy shouldn’t be my concern when I’m paying for their service. Using “being busy” as an excuse for poor service and quality only highlights how poorly managed and underprepared this...